Khaleda Zia State Funeral 2025: Hundreds of Thousands Gather in Dhaka

Dhaka's streets became a sea of mourners on Wednesday as hundreds of thousands gathered to bid farewell to Khaleda Zia. The former prime minister, who was the first woman to lead Bangladesh, died Tuesday at age 80 after a long illness. According to Reuters, people traveled from across the country to pay their final respects as her motorcade passed through the capital.

Khaleda Zia State Funeral 2025: A Nation in Mourning

Flags flew at half-mast as a hearse wrapped in the national flag moved slowly past the parliament house. Security was tight with thousands of officers deployed to manage the massive crowds. International figures, including India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and officials from Pakistan and Bhutan, attended the ceremony to honor the leader's legacy.

Zia's political career began following the assassination of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman, in 1981. She later led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) through decades of a bitter rivalry with Sheikh Hasina. Over the last 16 years under Hasina's rule, Zia became the ultimate symbol of resistance, despite facing numerous legal battles and house arrest.

Political Aftermath and the February Elections

The timing of her passing is significant as the country prepares for its first elections since last year's revolution. The BNP stated that Zia had intended to run for parliament in February 2026. Now, the mantle of leadership falls to her son, Tarique Rahman, who recently returned to Bangladesh after 17 years in exile in London.

Rahman, aged 60, is expected to lead the party's bid for power. "The country mourns the loss of a guiding presence," he told reporters, emphasizing his commitment to his mother's democratic vision.